Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-04-14
POPULATION AND FOOD,
REPUTATION OF THE ARGUMENTS
or j. MODERN MfsLTHu:.

to SI'arc-IVhy AIalthuS' Doctrine Is NO
Longer t'iuuaiIle.-s1ha Earth, Food
Producing Cupsbisi.:es'
The cnrrc1t mir,il,cr Of The Forum con-
tans IL spri:,htly hrticlchy Iholl.s W. Knox.
entitled "iStandng Rt'0n Only" 1t shows
that several countries in the world contain SO
many people that they cun scarcely walk about
without jo tling each other. For example
tho ST statement is made that Java has Jos i'll
habitants to the square mile, Japan "3@, Italy
.46, Belgium 4S1, ana Tho Netherlands "l!
Tie author then states that thcro Is hardly
country whose population is diminishing,
while that Of I:ost countries is increasing
with wonderful if not with alarming rani'lity.
This increase OF population is largely due to
tho absence of wars ard better sanitary con'
dtions.
Mr.. Knox thinks that it is tim" f. study
tie philosophy of MathuS who held that
population, unchecked, increased in gromct-
ri,at ratio: while fool run only be mal.' 10
increase in arithlnctcul ratio. IIc also argues
that checks on population are absolutely
ncc: :ssary, and clain,s advantages for war,
peStilcncc, famine and most Of the destructive
vices He states that few Of tho countries in
whrh thcrc is standing room only" can FRO
duro foo,, enough for tic inhabitants, and
Shows by official census tables that the num-
her of these countrc. is increasing very
rapidly 10 predicts that our own will he
ad lwl to the list of overpoiulatu countries
in no very distant future. At present few Of
the original thirteen states produce food
ei,ouGl td supply all the inhabitants. Tho
line That divides tbr states that do not pro
ducr food erHuyh for Tie people frou, those
that do is constantly moving faithet west
40 CAUSE FOR ALARM.
Th, mod 'rn Malthus has no cause for
alarm. In almost every country III the world
there is food enough and to spare. III nearly
every land food producers are discouraged
by ovcrprmlurtoi. At ono time farmers
found 40 fault will! prices, but complained
b&ruiisc they could raise but little. Now they
complain Of low prices and find fault bcs'a'ho
so much is produced. English papers state
that there was mover u time IN the history OF
the country when Il days wages would pur
chase 50 nl,l food. During last year sugar
sold for penny IL pound and many farmers
used it .,s "A conlmcnr or tool for cattle and
pigs Fresh lcrrings sold in London markets
for 4 halflunny each, and tho poorest labor
crs ut, white bread, oranges aud bananas.
During several months small fruits werc 81
cheap that they commanded only nominal
price, and some farmers and gardeners used
them to fcrtilize their land. One vessel
brought $1,000 rarcsls~.s Of frozen mutton
from ono of the Falkland islands, where it
was bought for penny pound. Two steam
ship companies paid penny n bushel for the
privilege of carrying wheat IN bags from
American to English ports so that the grain
of civilization was cheaper i'll Liverpool than
in Baltinorr The price of farm products is
so iow in Great Britain that the owners OF
several large estates declare that they can re-
aiz, more from them us game preserves than
rs cultivated farms.
The truth is the doctrine of Nautilus is an
exploded huulbug. 1t was plausible theory
at the time he wrote, but the INTRODUCTION OF
machinery on farms the use Of steam i'll aSri-
culture, the improvement i'll breeds of ami.
mails the utilization of products formerly
wasted, the new methods of preserving fruits,
vegetables, meat and fish, and last, but most.
the increased speed of vessels and the low
rates for carrying all kinds of articles intended
for food, liavc produced Il revolution and de
s,roycd the philosophy of tile pcssimist of the
dinner table We hear of coal famincs and
water ialnines, but there are no food famine
anywhere, and there is no prospect of any.
FOOD PRODUCING CAPABILITIES.
We have hardly begun to test the food .sro
during capabilities of the earth A German
traveller declares that Siberia Is capable of
producing grain enough to supply all western
Europc with bread An English authority
states that wheat was worth but ten cents q
blishcl in the interior of Asintic Turkey last
year, and that many farmers did not 1nd 1t
profitable to harvest their fields The island
Of 1Iayti iscapablc of producing enough yanls
AID bananas to feed 20, 900, 900 people. Hardly
any portion of Africa except tho narrow Ns!
ley of tho Milo has been brought under cult
vation But an insignificant part of Aus
traia has been devoted to the production of
food South America, in the opinion of
Humboldt is the grand division of the earth
capable rf producing the most food; still
large portion of it remains unexplored, and
no good farming is done in the parts that
have been longest settled. 1t could be made
not only tie granary but the stock yard for
supplying Europe With food. Wild cattlo
are almost as plentiful there MS rabbits are in
Australia, and thousands of them are killed
every year for their hides and tallow. Sheep
nro raised With scarcely any care, and pigs
tulnoi into the forests become fat on nuts and
wild fruit No believer i'll MathIlsian phil
oso ohy ever visited South Americas
Bs selecting breeds Of animals that mature
early; and constantly supplying them with
suitable food. steers aro made to weigh as
much when taev nre thirty months old as they
Formerly did ut twice that age. BY the gen
craE Introduction of the Silo the beef and
mutton production Of this country could be
ttoulletf, even ii no lrore land waS devoted tp
raising fodder crops. Our countryman, Seth
Green, originated the expression water farLi-
ing and demonstrated that an acre of water
was capable of producing as much food as an
aero OF land Experiments show that & man
carp can hc raised at about half the price of
the cheapest meat, and the prospect is thar
most bf OUT small lakes and artificial ponds
will soon be utilized for the production OF
food the sumo as they are in China and Japan.
Food producers everywhere are crying for
more mouths to feed, 50 that they can get II
better price for what they raise. But !ha
prospect is that the cost of nearly every kind
of food will continnc to decline, even if the
population of the earth is doubled. Chicago
Times.
The Law in Michigan.
Advance agents of theatrical companies
hayc to bn cautious how they bill Michigan
towns. II q law o. the state is very particular
as to the Lind Of pictures displayed. and
reads: "No sign, picture, painting, or other
representation of murder, assassination, stab
bing fighting, o. any personal violence. or II
tho commission Of amy crime. shall be posted,
under penalty Of fne or Imprisonment"
Even tine picture of VirgilnuS il, the forum is'
forbidden N:w York Sun
A Remarkable Operation.
A. l..